


good boys are golden boys

by xTarmanderx



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Fluff, Garrett has a dog named Midas, M/M, Misunderstandings, Neighbors to Friends to Lovers, soft
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-11
Updated: 2020-08-10
Packaged: 2021-03-06 00:13:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,622
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25834054
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xTarmanderx/pseuds/xTarmanderx
Summary: Sean is going to murder the guy who lives above him for all the noise he makes. Coupled with an illegal dog, he’s ready to get the guy evicted. But when he goes upstairs to give the guy a piece of his mind, he finds something he wasn’t expecting: the man of his dreams.
Relationships: Garrett/Sean Walcott
Comments: 8
Kudos: 4





	good boys are golden boys

**Author's Note:**

  * For [snaeken](https://archiveofourown.org/users/snaeken/gifts).



> For my dear friend. Happy Birthday, you wonderful human being.

_ Thud. Thud. Thud.  _

Sean is going to kill his upstairs neighbour.

The guy is probably the most inconsiderate person Sean has never met. It’s after midnight when Sean blearily checks his phone after being woken up and there he is again, thumping around his apartment and trying to shush his unnecessarily loud dog. Which-- Sean’s pretty sure there’s a No Pets Policy in this building, he doesn’t know how the fuck this guy is allowed to have a dog. Or rather, how he’s  _ getting away _ with having a dog. When he’s a little bit more awake, he’s going to comb over his rent agreement - he has a law degree, he’s good at this shit - and then he’s going to give this asshole a piece of his mind.

There’s another loud thud followed by colorful language and he’s had enough. Throwing back his comforter, his bare feet hit the floor and he rises unsteadily. Exhaustion pulls at his limbs and he does his best to shake it, grabbing a pair of basketball shorts and a tee shirt from his laundry bin. He doesn’t fucking care what he looks like, he’s going to tell this jackass off and go right back to bed. Dragging a hand over his face, he shuffles slowly from his bedroom and fumbles with the light switch for the front hall. It flickers to life and immediately goes back out, a sign of some sort. He doesn’t have the energy to even decipher it. 

Shoving his feet into beat up sneakers, he unchains the lock on his door and manages to get it open on his third try. Above him, he can still hear the heavy thudding and now there’s a bark to accompany it. Fucking great. He bets this guy has something stupid like a poodle. With a sigh, he rubs at his eyes again with the back of his hand and makes his way toward the stairwell. “Gonna fucking end you, piece of shit.” He mutters to himself. He can’t wait to see the dog for himself and then report him to the landlord. Feeling a smidge better, he climbs the stairs and makes his way to the apartment above his own. 

“Midas, please. You’re too loud!” A man hisses just as Sean raises his fist. The dog barks in response and he rolls his eyes, pounding on the door. Of course, that only makes the barking more frenzied. “Oh my god, I hate you.” The door shakes as something heavy thuds against it and there’s a muffled laugh on the other side. “You fucking walnut. Go to your place.” The lock clicks and the door opens a crack, a black nose pushing through and forcing it wide. 

The most beautiful golden retriever he’s ever laid eyes on runs forward, dancing at his feet and letting out a yip. It’s not fully grown, but it’s not a puppy either. “Midas, you asshole. He’s friendly, I swear.” Yanking his eyes upward, Sean’s met with baby blue eyes that are a shade or two lighter than his own. The man standing before him is bare chested, wearing low hanging gray sweatpants that currently are leaving  _ little _ to the imagination. Grinning like an idiot, the stranger runs a hand back through unruly dirty blond hair and Sean decides the universe hates him. Why does this asshole have to look like his wet dreams come to life?

“Barking,” he says as he unglues his tongue from the roof of his mouth. “Dog barking.”

“Yeah…”

“It’s after midnight, man. I need sleep.” The other man’s eyes widen and it’s almost comedic. Had he not realized how fucking loud they were being?

“Shit, man. I’m sorry. I worked weird hours today and he’s all riled up because of it and I’m sorry.” The guy awkwardly rubs at the back of his head. Glancing at the wiggling body now sitting at his feet, Sean sighs and drops a hand to scratch at his head. 

“Just...like...get him a bone or something?” He suggests, some of the sleep fog clearing from his head. 

“Yeah, I will. We’ll keep it down. I promise.” Offering a perfectly white grin, his neighbor snaps his fingers and the dog retreats to his side. “Do you want a treat?” He’s answered with a soft bark and immediately looks up with a nervous laugh. “Maybe I won’t use that word again.”

“Whatever.” Waving a dismissive hand, Sean turns on his heel and heads back to the stairs. “Just keep it down.” He doesn’t even think about reminding the guy about the pet policy. That’ll be a conversation for another day. Right now, he just wants to collapse back into his bed and sleep for the next goddamn week. 

-

“You look like shit.” A mug of steaming coffee is set down in front of him and he closes his eyes, breathing deeply. When he opens them again, his coworker is frowning and waving a hand in front of his face. “Earth to Sean?”

“Sorry, Mason. Just didn’t get to sleep a lot last night.” The other man offers a sympathetic smile and steps back, sliding his hands into his pockets. “Thanks for the coffee.”

“You looked like you could use it. Upstairs neighbor still?” He guesses. Humming, Sean wraps his hands around the hot mug and holds until he can’t stand it anymore. It doesn’t quite wake him up, but he feels a tad more alert now. 

“He’s got a dog. A golden retriever that could melt the heart of the Wicked Witch with those puppy eyes. I hate him.” It’s complete bullshit. Sean spent his early hours combing through his lease agreement to search for the loophole that his neighbor must have found. He’s come up with nothing. Unless it’s a service animal of some kind, then his neighbor is violating the rental contract. Despite his threats to himself, Sean really doesn’t want to call the landlord. The guy is an asshole that  _ still  _ hasn’t come by to check out his broken oven and it’s been three weeks. 

“You’re just jealous because you want a dog.” Mason snorts softly. Which, yeah, that’s technically true. He kind of hates Mason a little, too. 

“Why did you really bring me coffee? What do you want?” He asks, rubbing the spot where his nose starts to slope out from his face. 

“Heard a rumor that Hale is coming by the office today and wants to meet with everyone. I figured you’d rather  _ not _ want to yawn through the entire thing. Also, we’ve got new paperwork to file.” A sizable stack of folders is set down in front of him and he sighs, picking up his coffee. 

“One day, we won’t be legal aids. We’ll have our own filing these things for us.” Sipping at his coffee, he grabs a few from the top and gets to his feet. “Thanks for the coffee, Mason.”

“Always got your back. By the way, your tie is backwards.” He flicks it with a teasing grin and Sean bats him away, rolling his eyes. He situates everything on top of a filing cabinet and straightens it out, glancing over his shoulder to find Mason already with his next victim. Corey Bryant, a shy aid who has only been working with them for the past three weeks but already feels like a close friend. Mason’s head over heels for him and from the glances that Corey has been sneaking, he’s not alone in his feelings. Sean bets there will be an engagement six months after they finally start dating. Smiling to himself, he turns back to the job at hand and opens one of the drawers. 

There’s a light drizzle going by the time Sean reaches his apartment. He leaves his good suit jacket in the car and grabs his briefcase, holding it over his head as he hurries to the stairwell. Just as he hits the second step, something heavy collides with the back of his legs. He buckles forward and someone grabs him by the elbow, righting him as a very happy golden retriever dances at his side. “Shit! I’m so sorry, bad dog.” His obnoxious upstairs neighbor tugs on the leash, but the wiggling miscreant only yips in response. His head butts up against Sean’s leg and he can’t help but reach down, scratching behind soft ears. 

“You know, dogs aren’t really allowed here.” And wow, way to be an asshole. It wasn’t the first thing Sean wanted to say, but it’s been a long day. But instead of anger, he’s met with a bright laugh and those damn perfect white teeth being flashed at him. 

“Hey, you’re the guy from last night. I’m glad I ran into you.”

“You didn’t, the dog did.” A pink tongue licks his hand and he can’t help but smile down at the animal. 

“Right. We wanted to apologize for last night. I was thinking about ordering dinner or bringing you a dessert, but I don’t really know you or what you like and that seemed like a terrible idea.” The guy scratches at the back of his neck and Sean tilts his head in consideration. Free food? He’s not one to pass up on something handed to him on a silver platter. 

“Give me ten minutes to change and I can come by your place. I’ll bring beer.” The guy’s grin only widens and Sean is struck by how attractive it makes him. It’s not fair that he’s a pretty blond boy. That’s practically cheating. 

“Cool. I’ll see you in a few minutes.” With that, he tugs on the leash of his dog and the pair go running up the stairs. Rubbing the bridge of his nose, Sean follows at a sedate pace and does  _ not _ check out the perfectly round ass framed in tight jeans. When he reaches his door, there’s a paper crammed into the door that he crumples up without looking. It’s probably another damn advertisement. 

After changing into comfortable jeans and a soft gray Henley, he collects the brand new six pack from his fridge and makes his way upstairs. He doesn’t even need to knock. The second he steps onto the doormat, there’s barking and then the sound of nails scrabbling on the floor and the door shakes from a thud. Snorting to himself, he stuffs one hand in his pocket and waits for the guy to open his door. As soon as it’s cracked wide enough, the dog noses it fully open and rushes around his legs in a happy dance. “Sorry about him. He’s got a lot of energy.” The guy sheepishly grins and Sean returns it. 

“Most puppies are like that. How old is he?” He asks, dropping a hand to pet her. 

“Five months. He’s a rescue from the shelter, I got him a couple of weeks ago. Uh, come in.” Stepping out of the doorway, he grants enough space for Sean to step inside. The dog scurries past his legs and straight into the living room, presumably jumping on furniture if the thud means anything. “Here, let me take the beer. I’m Garrett, by the way.”

“Sean.” Handing over the drinks, he slips out of his shoes and steps through the front hall. “Nice place.” He lies, casting a critical look around the living room. Like his own, this unit has an open layout beyond the front hall. The kitchen looks straight into the living room over a bar and there’s a bedroom and bathroom tucked into the small hall off to his right. The difference is that this place is an absolute mess. One of the couch cushions is on the floor and there are toys and stuffing from them scattered across the living room. There’s a magazine dangling precariously from the coffee table and in the small dining area between the kitchen bar and the couch, there’s a round table with two overturned chairs. Paperwork litters every available surface along with dog fur. Sean’s pretty sure every room must be just as bad. 

“It’s a clusterfuck. I got to come home early since it poured downtown most of the day, but I haven’t been able to get any cleaning done. But since I’m off tonight, I plan to tackle this mess. Chinese or pizza? Or, if you can handle spicy, I know a great Indian place that delivers.”

“Indian.” Sean says without missing a beat. He can’t remember the last time he had a good curry. “What’s the name of the place?” Pulling out his phone, he rights one of the chairs next to the table and takes a seat. 

“I wouldn’t-“ Whatever Garrett was going to say is cut off by barking and he looks up, watching Midas practically topple over the back of the couch to get to him. He barks and growls at Sean, pawing at the ground while causing his ruckus. “Midas, no!” Garrett comes around the counter and points sternly at him. 

“Did I do something?” Sean raises a brow, staring down at the floppy eared puppy growling in front of him. 

“It’s not you. He’s afraid of chairs.” Garrett says, picking up Midas and cradling the wriggling pup. “Hey buddy, it’s okay. It’s not going to hurt you.” He murmurs softly. Midas lets out the most pitiful whine and snuggles back against his chest, batting a paw at Garrett’s face. Sean is done for. He can’t tell the landlord about the dog. 

“That’s an….odd fear.” He comments as he gets up to turn the chair back over. 

“No kidding. He’s a big baby and practically scared of his own shadow. But I love him,” Garrett declares. Kissing the paw that’s currently pressed against his cheek, he kneels down and rolls Midas from his arms. “Sorry. Give me five minutes to call the food and I’ll clean up the couches and you can have a seat.”

“If you give me your order, I’ll make the call.” Sean offers. He feels a little bad for the guy. He’s clearly in over his head when it comes to the dog and keeping his place clean. Is this what it’s like to have kids? If so, he’s not interested. 

“I’m supposed to be treating  _ you _ ,” Garrett protests while straightening up. 

“I can place the order and you can pay cash to the delivery guy. That is an option,” Sean reminds, amusement curling the corners of his lips. The pretty blond man flushes, rubbing at the back of his neck. 

“Right. I want the...uh….” Garrett holds onto the back of his neck and tilts his head back, staring at the ceiling. “Chicken tandoori, paneer pakora, and a bread basket.”

“What the fuck is in a bread basket?” 

“An assortment of delicious naan bread. Garlic, cheese, and regular. It’s the best.” He flashes Sean a grin and walks into the living room, carefully maneuvering around Midas who stays under his feet. “The place is called the Curry House. Trust me, it’s amazing.” 

“I’ll take your word for it.” Typing in the name, Sean ambles his way into the kitchen and leans against the counter as he scrolls through his phone. With a quick glance at the menu, he decides on what he wants and calls in their order. The guy on the other end of the line promises to have it to them within the hour and Sean pockets his phone, satisfied. Crossing his arms over his chest, he takes the opportunity to study his surroundings. 

The kitchen is probably the cleanest room in the house. There are a couple of dishes sitting in water in the sink, but the countertops are nearly spotless and there isn’t clutter anywhere. A drink mixing corner catches his eye and he steps closer, admiring a book that’s open to show a blue cocktail drink. From the looks of it, Garrett has everything that he needs to be a mixologist. There are shakers, jiggers, and strainers neatly lined up in front of an array of mixing glasses. Bottles of bitters and syrups are just out of sight, but the small collection he can glimpse seems impressive. Carefully lifting up the book, he sneaks a peek at the cover and raises a brow.  _ 101 Cocktails Every Bartender Needs to Know  _ is written across the glossy front. 

“You want to be a bartender?” He guesses, setting the book down and looking across the bar top of the kitchen. Garrett pauses from righting the cushion back onto the couch and looks up, grinning from ear to ear. 

“I am one. Work the nights at Sinema most of the week. But I got tonight off.” He explains, leaning over to fix the cushion in place. Sean traces the line of his back with his eyes and diverts them from his ass just as Garrett stands tall. 

“I thought you said you got sent home because of the rain?” He says, a small frown gracing his lips. 

“Day job. I work as a construction worker during the day and a bartender by night. I don’t always have consistent hours, so it’s better having two jobs. What about you?” 

“Just the one job.” 

“Which is…?”

“Legal aid. Not my dream job, but I think it’s a step. I want to own my own firm one day.” Sean admits. He shakes the picture of Garrett dressed in nothing but a bright orange vest from his mind and comes out of the kitchen. Garrett bends down to start plucking fluff from the floor and he kneels down to help, gathering the toys as he comes across them. “Where do you want these?”

“There’s a chest for them on the other side of the couch. I swear my place doesn’t always look like a war zone. And you really don’t have to help, but thank you.” The relief in his voice makes Sean weak and he nods, walking over to the end of the couch. There’s a chest that’s already overflowing with dog toys and bones and he chuckles, depositing more on top. 

“You treat him like a king, don’t you?”

“King Midas and all, y’know?” Garrett grins back over his shoulder. “My uncle bought half of these and he swears he doesn’t even like dogs. But I think letting me keep Midas is his way of making up my childhood loss of not owning a pet.” Sean doesn’t have a clue what he’s talking about. Why does it matter what his uncle thinks? He voices as much and Garrett turns, rubbing the back of his neck again. “Ah. Yeah, my uncle is the landlord. It’s why Midas is allowed to stay here.”

“Motherfucker.” Sean immediately regrets letting it slip, but Garrett only laughs and bobs his head. 

“That’s him. He’s a sucker for these gorgeous brown eyes though.” He turns to where Midas is laying on one of the couch cushions and leans over, running a hand down his back. Dark eyes open immediately, tail thumping against the back of the couch. “I’m really sorry about keeping you up at night,” he says as he takes a seat on the floor. “He’s just got a ton of energy and when I work a long shift, he loses his damn mind. I’ll start taking him on runs soon, I promise. He just...does not like his leash and has eaten four of them.”

“Stomach of steel?” Sean guesses, taking a seat on the couch cushion closest to Midas. He reaches up and scratches his fingers against his hip, smiling as his tail thumps harder against the couch. 

“Something like that. He’s getting enrolled in puppy training classes next week. I ordered a harness because I read online that those help with walking dogs, but it won’t be here for a couple more days.” Garrett takes Midas’s face in his hands and showers kisses on the crown of his head. “It’s the only thing he destroys. And toys,” he adds quickly when Sean raises a brow. 

“He’s still young, he’ll learn.” Sean assures. “I had a Labrador retriever growing up and she was full of endless amounts of energy. I took her running twice a day and enrolled her in some agility classes and those really helped focus her.”

“Running just reminds me of high school and lacrosse drills and my batshit insane coach.” Garrett tells him, glancing up. “Did you play any sports?”

“Two. I did competitive cheer and I was on the swim team. I grew up doing gymnastics and the like. I was the first male cheerleader that my high school had ever seen and we won competitions every year.” It feels a little weird admitting this to a stranger, but there’s something open and genuine about Garrett. He wants to know everything about the other man and judging from the looks of it, Garrett feels the same. Sean tries not to read too much into it. Just because he’s friendly doesn’t mean he’s a viable romantic option. 

“Really?” Garrett’s eyes drag up and down his body, lips quirking on one side. “Wouldn’t have imagined you hiding those kinds of talents under your clothes.” Fuck. Sean feels the heat rising in his cheeks. Before he can think too hard about it, Garrett changes the subject. “Do you want to watch Netflix or something until the food gets here?”

“Yeah.” Anything that will get Garrett up on the couch next to him. The other man grabs a remote that’s buried under papers on his coffee table and makes his way around it, sitting a cushion away from Sean. Midas shuffles around in his spot and nudges his hand against Sean’s hand, demanding pets. 

“Anything you’re dying to watch? I could put on a comedy special?” The TV comes to life and Netflix opens up with the press of a button. They’re immediately shown the latest show arrivals and Garrett makes a soft noise. “No fucking way.”

“What?” Sean asks, scanning the list. It’s mostly fantasy shows from his high school days, but there’s a drama and a documentary as well. 

“Sorry.  _ Spirited Werewolves _ was my fucking jam when I was a senior.”

“No shit.” Sean chuckles at that and glances over to find Garrett blushing. “It was mine, too. Cheerleading werewolves, hot shirtless men, what’s not to like?”

“Please tell me you know what shipping is.” Garrett says, a shy smile emerging. 

“Absolutely. I shipped the fuck out of the captain of the football team and the cheer flyer. I was pissed they weren’t a canon thing.” 

“Sean, my buddy, my brand new pal. I think you and I are going to get along just fine.” As Midas sets his head down in Sean’s lap and Garrett hits play, he’s pretty sure this is exactly where he’s meant to be. 

-

It becomes a regular occurrence over the next few weeks. Sean starts spending less and less time alone in his apartment and more spent on Garrett’s couch, Midas between them and hot werewolves on the TV screen. Between pizza and Garrett’s home-cooked meals, he starts to develop feelings. He’s already completely gone for the other man, who smiles as bright as the sun and laughs loudly at all of Sean’s jokes. 

He’s crawling into bed one Wednesday night when there’s an urgent pounding on his door. Brow furrowed, he climbs from bed and grabs a shirt from his laundry pile to pull over his head. While he’s shimmying back into jeans, the knocking comes again and he rolls his eyes. The rational part of his brain says it’s too late at night to be answering the door in his underwear and he tends to listen to that side. As he buttons his pants, he shuffles slowly from his bedroom and hits the light for the front hall. “I’m coming, geez.” He mutters to himself as he undoes the chain lock. He opens the door to Garrett raising his fist again, looking bewildered and clutching a piece of paper at his side. 

“Garrett?”

“Oh, thank fuck. Dude. I am so,  _ so _ sorry to wake you up like this but it’s urgent. I need someone to watch Midas for the night and take him out in the morning and I didn't know who else to call. I tried you but you didn’t pick up and I need to go, like, right now.” 

“Is everything okay?” Sean asks, scrubbing his face to wipe the sleep away. He’s never seen Garrett this anxious. The other man nods and shoves a piece of paper and key against his chest, barely giving him the chance to catch them. 

“I just need to go right now. I’m so sorry and I will make this up to you. I wrote all of the instructions down and I made the guest bed up for you and Midas is in his crate and I have to go. Please tell me you can do this.” He begs, clasping his hands in front of him. 

“Absolutely. Go on, I’ll go up to check on him as soon as I get my keys and phone. It was on silent and charging,” he adds. 

“You’re the best and I swear I love you for this.” Sean’s heart hammers in his chest, but Garrett turns and sprints away toward the stairs before he can say anything. Shaking his head to himself, he heads back into his apartment to grab what he needs. 

Fifteen minutes later, he’s got his suit hanging in the spare bedroom closet at Garrett’s and he’s trying to unlock Midas’s crate. It doesn’t help that the puppy is just as eager to get out, his whole body thrashing about as he bats his paw against the lock. “Midas, chill out you overgrown moron.” He mutters to himself. Finally getting it unlocked, the door opens and slams against his knee while a furry body slams into his chest. With an  _ oof _ Sean wraps his arms around Midas, sighing as he’s given a million kisses in thanks. “I saw you two hours ago, you dolt. Come on, let’s get you outside before you pee everywhere.”

It’s easier than he thought to walk Midas. While he tries to turn around in his harness and grab his leash, Sean manages to get him to desist with a few treats from his pocket and excited praise when he does as told. He’s no dog trainer by any means, but he pats himself on the back for a job well done. When they get back inside, he takes care to wipe down Midas’s paws and shuffles back to the guest bedroom. Midas is curled up against the pillows, tail thumping happily against the navy comforter. He resigns himself to sharing for the night and tells himself that Garrett won’t mind. 

“Only because you’re cute,” he says while shimmying out of his jeans. “Garrett’s instructions explicitly state that you’re supposed to sleep in your crate. So no accidents, deal? You wake me up when you have to go out.” He’s rewarded with another series of tail thumps that he takes for agreement and strips his shirt over his head. “Move over, one of those is mine.” He hits the lights and crawls onto the bed, cautiously feeling in front of him for Midas. When he gets to the head of the bed and pulls the covers back, the dog immediately wriggles under them and snuggles his head down against the pillow. “Fuck you,” Sean sighs. He gets in on the other side and curls himself around the dog, grimacing as a cold nose presses against his collarbone. To his surprise, Midas is completely still as he falls asleep. It makes it easier to drift off, where he dreams of sandy beaches and kisses with pretty blond boys that have dumb dogs. 

-

The buzzing of his alarm makes Sean groan and cover his eyes. As the tune fills the room, he rolls over and slaps at his phone. His head pounds from the movement and he grits his teeth as he looks at the device. Fuck it. He’s calling in sick and spending the day curled up with Midas. Garrett won’t mind, at least that’s what he tells himself. Besides, he owes Sean for this. With a quiet groan, he unlocks his phone and taps out an email and text to send to his boss. 

He flops onto his back with a loud sigh, bringing up a hand to cover his face. “Fucking migraines,” he gripes. He hasn’t had one in a while, but his brain must have decided he was long overdue. As he rolls back over to try and go back to sleep, a tongue drags over his nose and his eyes shoot open. It takes a moment for awareness to seep back into him as he stares up at Midas, but it comes rushing back as the golden retriever licks his face. “I get it, I get it.” He says, lifting a hand to scratch along Midas’s neck. He’s answered with an urgent bark that makes his brain rattle around in his head and he winces. “All right, I’m up.” He pushes up on his elbows and slowly climbs from the bed, head spinning as he does. 

Midas seems to sense his headache during their walk. He stops tugging on his leash and falls in line beside Sean, bumping his head against his calf every so often. When they get back upstairs, Sean feeds him his breakfast and goes to lay down on the couch. He gets a thirty minute nap in before they’re going back outside, but Midas thankfully doesn’t drag it out. He does his business and upstairs they go, Midas giving a quiet whine as Sean slows down. He braces himself against the wall for a moment and blinks spots away, grimacing. Looks like it’s a PostMates kind of day. Pulling his phone out, he opens the app and starts to place an order when a happy bark tears his attention away. 

“There you are!” Garrett’s standing in front of his door, grinning from ear to ear. He looks dead on his feet, but there’s still a brightness to his eyes that Sean wants to see forever. His smile slips as he meets Sean’s gaze and worry creases his brow. “Hey,” his voice softens, “are you okay?”

“Migraine. Was going to order breakfast and take something for it.” He says, leaning over to unhook Midas’s harness. The pup goes running to Garrett, jumping up to put his paws on his thighs and lick his hands. Garrett scratches behind his ear and nods, holding open the front door for Sean. 

“Why don’t you go lay down and I’ll order breakfast? My construction shift isn’t for another couple of hours.” He offers. 

“Yeah. Cool. I like bacon and muffins. Blueberry, but anything works. Hate hash browns.” Sean says, already dragging his feet toward the couch. He flops down and closes his eyes, hiding his face against the cushion. Before he can think about getting up to get medicine, Midas jumps on top of him and immediately curls up in the middle of his back. 

“Midas, get down!” 

“He’s fine. It’s fine.” Sean waves a tired hand dismissively. He’s actually kind of happy to have a dog to cuddle with while his head pounds. While it’s not what he had in mind, he can’t really complain. He listens to Garrett shuffle around the apartment and is almost asleep again when a gentle hand touches his arm. 

“Hey. Got some medicine for you to take.” He cracks his eyes open and Garrett carefully lifts Midas from his back, depositing him on another couch cushion so that Sean can sit up. He presses a couple of pills and a glass of water into his hands and Sean dry swallows them without a thought, chasing with the drink and setting it on a coaster on the coffee table. 

“Thanks.” He leans back into the couch and looks down as Midas crawls halfway onto his lap. “Hey, buddy. I’m okay.” He promises, running a hand up and down his back. 

“People say dogs are the best about knowing when you aren’t feeling well.” Garrett says, picking up some papers on the coffee table. “Thanks for coming last night. If I’d known you were sick-“

“I wasn’t. Woke up with a migraine. Haven’t had one in ages, but this one isn’t so bad. Just need to get some food in me and I should start feeling much better.” He responds. “Midas was an angel for me. He slept in the bed with me. I’ll wash the sheets later and make sure there’s no dog hair on them.”

“You don’t have to worry about it,” Garrett says without missing a beat. “I didn’t want you to feel obligated to sleep with him and I was a little nervous about him being out of his crate and making a mess for you to clean up. I’m just glad he was on his best behavior.”

“He’s great. We even walked without any problems. I’m pretty sure his puppy class teacher will be jealous.” 

“She said he’s still a work in progress,” Garrett chuckles. “I owe you big time for last night.”

“Just feed me and we’ll call it even. Speaking of-“ Before Sean can get the words out of his mouth, Garrett’s phone starts to ring. He drops the papers he’s just collected and Midas lets out a quiet woof, tail thumping as Garrett answers the phone. 

“Hey, are you-oh.” His eyes widen and he shoots an anxious look at Sean. “Oh  _ shit _ , right now?” A pause and he laughs nervously. “I’m aware of how biology works, Vi. I love you, I’ll be right there.” He hangs up and Sean raises a brow at him. “I need to get going again. Emergency, but it’s real this time. Can you stay with Midas again? Just put my breakfast in the fridge when it gets here, or you can eat it if you want it.”

“Yeah.” Sean tries to hide his disappointment. Since when does Garrett have a significant other? 

“I will send you an update as soon as I can. You’re the best.” He declares, shoving his phone down into his pocket. 

“Damn right I am.” Sean cracks a small smile and Garrett laughs, running a hand back through his unruly hair. 

“I’ll be back, I swear. Midas, be a good boy.” He reaches over to tousle his fur and then he’s gone, snatching his keys from the kitchen counter and disappearing out the door. With a sigh, Sean slouches further back and looks down at Midas. 

“Why didn’t you tell me he had someone in his life? You’re supposed to be on my side.” A tongue curls around his wrist and he sighs, scratching obediently behind soft ears. “Yeah, yeah. You’re cute and all, so I guess I can forgive you. But your owner is cuter.” He says. A bark answers him and Midas smacks a paw against his thigh, wagging his tail so hard his entire body is shaking. Grinning to himself, Sean continues to rub him and tries to convince himself that he’s not a little heartbroken. 

By mid-afternoon, his headache has cleared away and he’s starting to feel restless. He takes Midas on a few walks, but the pup passes out after their fifth walk of the past two hours and snoozes away in the corner. He resigns himself to boredom and spends the next couple of hours tidying around the apartment. He sorts the papers into neat little stacks, wipes down every surface, picks up fuzz from the floor, and even hand washes the dishes. Anything to kill the time faster. But the seconds drag on and he feels like he’s losing his mind. 

When it’s starting to get close to dinner time, he pulls out his phone and prepares to call Garrett when a text comes through. There’s a picture attachment and he opens it, heart plummeting to his stomach as he sees Garrett holding a beautiful baby girl.  _ Look at her!!!!  _ is followed by a series of sobbing emojis and heart eyes. Sean only feels a little bitter. That’s what he tells himself, at least. Because he feels like he and Garrett have grown pretty close over the last few weeks and something like becoming a father should have been slipped into the conversation. Scowling, he sends back a smiley face and congratulates him on fatherhood before settling down on the couch. He definitely does  _ not _ spend the next hour going over every single conversation and interaction in his head. 

When the front door unlocks, he’s worked himself into a mood. Midas jumps from his lap with a yip and Garrett comes inside, slamming the door. “I’m an uncle!” He declares, tossing his keys onto a surface in the kitchen. “I’ve got the most beautiful niece in the whole world and-holy  _ fuck  _ you cleaned my apartment.” He comes around the corner of the couch, staring in disbelief at the living room. 

“What?” Sean struggles to comprehend what was said, blinking stupidly up at the other man. 

“You clean-“

“That wasn’t your daughter?” He breathes, voice a little shaky. 

“No. I’m not straight.” Garrett shrugs one shoulder and kneels down next to the couch, scratching Midas on the head as he wiggles between his legs. “Wait. You thought I was a dad?”

“You sent me a fucking picture of you holding a baby, what was I supposed to think?” Sean defends, crossing his arms over his chest. 

“My sister had a baby. I didn’t tell you that’s why I had to go to the hospital last night? She thought she was in labor. And, of course, the minute they sent her home today her water broke and she had to go right back. I seriously thought I told you that my sister was expecting.” No, no he had not. Sean would have remembered that kind of important information. 

“So you’re not straight?” He blurts out. Eyes crinkling at the corners, Garrett shakes his head. 

“I’m  _ very _ gay. Why? Know someone interested?” There’s a glint in his eyes and Sean swears internally. Rolling his eyes, he reaches forward and cups the back of Garrett’s neck. 

“Tell me no and I’ll go home.” He breathes, pulling their faces closer. 

“Why would I do a stupid thing like that?” Gripping the front of Sean’s shirt, he hauls himself up and presses their mouths together. Sean groans into the kiss, breath stolen as a tongue leisurely strokes against his own. Strong fingers curl through his hair, angling his head down more, and the kiss shifts into something tender. As he tries to pull Garrett up onto his lap, a bark breaks them apart. Midas sits and thumps his tail against the coffee table, dancing his front paws against the carpet. 

“Whose side are you on?” Garrett grumbles, rolling his eyes. Huffing a laugh against his lips, Sean kisses him again and cups his face with his free hand. 

“I don’t know,” he murmurs as they break apart again. Garrett grins at him and climbs into his lap, straddling his waist. Before they can kiss again, Midas jumps onto the couch and wriggles his head between their chests. 

“Absolute fucking menace,” Garrett whines. He pulls back and they both pet Midas, smiling goofily at each other. “I’m so fucking sorry I made you think I was a dad.”

“Don’t be. I read into things too much. Just glad you’re not off the market.” Sean curls his fingers around Garrett’s hip and squeezes lightly. 

“Not at all. Well, I will be if you’ll have me. I owe you one, remember?” He laughs quietly and Sean grins, nodding. 

“About that. I have something in mind…”

  
  



End file.
